Shipping base

ABSTRACT

A base for shipping or storing an appliance or other article comprises a frame, the frame comprising rails, at least one rail comprising two outer upright walls, at least two intermediate walls between the outer walls, webs joining the bottom of each outer wall to the bottom of the adjacent intermediate wall, and at least one web joining together the intermediate walls.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a shipping base for articles including household appliances and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Household appliances, such as washing machines, dryers and the like, need to be delivered from the factory, to the store and to the customer in an undamaged condition. Such appliances are typically large, bulky and/or heavy. The exterior of such appliances commonly consists of a skin of metal panels that, for reasons of weight and economy, are not particularly robust. Also, such appliances often have exposed operable parts or connectors. The positioning of these elements and/or their proximity to the outer periphery of the appliance may place them at risk of damage during shipment and delivery. Delivery of a damaged or inoperable appliance can have a significant effect on customer satisfaction with a brand or a retailer. Even superficial damage to the exterior panels can easily render the appliance unacceptable to the customer and ultimately saleable only at an extremely reduced price. It is therefore desirable to provide for the support and protection of the appliance during shipping and delivery so as to avoid structural and cosmetic damage.

Appliances are sometimes shipped mounted on a base or pallet, which supports the bottom end and which is often slightly larger than the appliance itself. The base is designed to be handled mechanically, such as by a forklift, hand truck or the like. The base serves to protect the appliance by providing a relatively rigid and stable support or engagement surface. When being moved, the lifting mechanism will engage the base, typically without engaging the appliance itself.

One example of a prior shipping base, which was proposed for use with large appliances, is shown in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0057342, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This shipping base comprises a rectangular frame of molded plastic. The sides or rails of the frame comprise upright walls. Each pair of adjacent walls is joined by a horizontal web. The webs are alternately at the top and bottom. The exposed walls at the sides of the rails, facing outwards and facing into the open interior of the frame, are solid. The other walls are of lattice construction, for light weight and economy of material.

Terms such as “top,” “bottom” and “horizontal” as used in this specification refer to the relative position of the features in use of the base, resting on a horizontal support with an appliance or other article mounted on it. The “upright” walls are then typically a few degrees off vertical, for ease of molding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention provides a base for shipping or storing an article, the base comprising a frame, the frame comprising rails, at least one rail comprising two outer upright walls, with respect to a normal orientation of the base in use, at least two intermediate walls between the outer walls, webs joining the bottom of each outer wall to the bottom of the adjacent intermediate wall, and at least one web joining together the intermediate walls.

The outer walls may be solid. Some or all of the intermediate walls may be of trussed or other open construction. The at least one rail may have exactly four walls, with the tops of the two intermediate walls being joined by a single horizontal web, so that the rail as a whole has a roughly W-shaped cross-section.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a shipping base comprising a frame with at least one rail having longitudinal walls connected by webs alternately at the top and the bottom, wherein at least two bottom webs are solid and are joined along the length of the rail directly to solid walls.

A further embodiment of the invention provides a base comprising rails meeting at corners. At least one rail comprises a first solid side wall. A first solid bottom web is joined to the first solid side wall along the bottom edge of the first solid side wall and a first side of the first solid bottom web. A first internal wall is joined to the first solid bottom web along the bottom edge of the first internal wall and a second side of the first solid bottom web. A top web is joined to the first internal wall along the top edge of the first internal wall and a first side of the top web. A second internal wall is joined to the first top web along the top edge of the second internal wall and a second side of the top web. A second solid bottom web is joined to the second internal wall along the bottom edge of the second internal wall and a first side of the second solid bottom web. A second solid side wall is joined to the second solid bottom web along the bottom edge of the second solid side wall and a second side of the second solid bottom web.

The face of the base that is upwards in the normal orientation in use may be provided with formations to engage, support, and/or retain an appliance or other article on the base. For example, the base may be provided with sockets to receive feet of such an appliance, or with supports for lower edges of a frame or bodywork of such an appliance. Examples of such supports are shown in above-mentioned patent application no. 2003/0057342 in the form of projecting ribs 100. Examples of such sockets are shown in above-mentioned patent application no. 2003/0057342 in the form of sockets 14 and 120.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a combination of a base according to the invention and an appliance or other article mounted on the base.

The basic aspects of the present invention may be combined in a number of forms. The preferred aspects of the various constructions may be used in conjunction with one another or used alone. The various features provide certain advantages over the prior art. These advantages will be described herein and will be understood by those skilled in the art upon reviewing the description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms of the invention which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an isometric top view of one embodiment of a shipping base according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric bottom view of the shipping base shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic section along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a base according to the invention, with an appliance mounted on it, supported on a conveyor device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is shown one form of a shipping base according to the present invention, which is identified generally by reference numeral 20. The shipping base 20 is preferably injection molded from a plastic material, such as polypropylene. The specific polymer, filler or reinforcement material can be varied to meet the specific requirements of the application.

Throughout this specification, terms such as “top”, “bottom,” and “vertical” are used in the interest of clarity with reference to an orientation of the base in a typical use with an appliance positioned there-above. It is not required that the base be provided below the appliance or that the base be maintained exactly in this orientation. Variation of the structures may be defined whereby portions of base are oriented vertically or at some angle with respect to horizontal. Also, when separated from the appliance, the base may be stored and transported in any convenient orientation.

The shipping base 20 as illustrated is in the general form of a rectangular frame, with front and rear rails 22, 24 and two side rails 26, 28. Referring especially to FIG. 3, each of the front and rear rails 22, 24 comprises an outer side wall 30, an inner side wall 32, a first intermediate wall 34, and a second intermediate wall 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the walls 30, 32, 34, 36 are generally upright in the typical in-use orientation, but are a few degrees off vertical to facilitate separation of the base from a mold. The tops of the two intermediate walls 34, 36 are joined by a top web 40. The bottom of the outer wall 30 is joined to the bottom of the first intermediate wall 34 by a first bottom web 42. The bottom of the inner wall 32 is joined to the bottom of the second intermediate wall 36 by a second bottom web 44.

As is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer and inner walls 30, 32 and the bottom webs 42, 44 are solid. The intermediate walls 34, 36 and the top web 40 are of lattice or truss construction, consisting of distinct bars with large spaces between them. Compared with a solid wall or web of the same thickness, the truss construction is lighter, and is not proportionately weaker.

Referring now to FIG. 4, when an appliance or other article 50 is mounted on the shipping base 20, the weight of the appliance is commonly transferred to the base by feet 52 at each corner of the appliance, as symbolized by the downward-pointing arrows in FIG. 4. The feet 52 of the article 50 may fit into sockets 48 in the shipping base 20. In automatic handling of the shipping base 20 and the article 50, the base may be transferred sideways off one support, symbolized by a conveyor 54, and onto another support, symbolized by a conveyor 56. There may be a substantial gap between the parts of the two supports that actually support the base 20. Thus, immediately before the second support 56 starts to support the leading edge of the base 20, the base may overhang the first support 54 substantially.

In this condition, the weight of the article 50 on the base 20 may be supported in large part by the end of the part of the first support 54 that actually supports the base 20, under the base 20 between the feet 52. The contact force that supports the base at this point is symbolized in FIG. 4 by the upward-pointing arrow 58. The distribution of the forces 52, 56 results in a considerable bending moment on the base 20, tending to bend its center upwards. This places the upper parts of the front and rear rails 22, 24 in tension, and the lower parts in compression. The tensile and compressive stresses can be considerable.

The forces in the opposite direction are much less, because the feet 52 are typically much closer to the outside of the base 20 than to the middle. Thus, even if the base 20 is supported at its extreme edges, the distance between the points of support and the points of loading by the weight force 52 is small, so the bending moments generated are small.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the present embodiment the truss walls and web 40, 42, 44 of each of the front and rear rails 22, 24 comprise longitudinal bars 60 along the angles between the top web 40 and the intermediate walls 42, 44. These longitudinal bars 60 carry the tension loads along the upper part of the rails 22, 24. Cross bars 62 between the two longitudinal bars 60 define with the longitudinal bars the top web 40. Upright bars 64 between each longitudinal bar 60 and the bottom webs 42, 44, and diagonal bars 66 between the top of one upright bar 64 and the bottom of the next upright bar define with the longitudinal bars the intermediate walls 34, 36.

As may be seen in FIG. 1, the top web 40 is raised above the level of the side rails 26, 28, and the longitudinal bars 60 slope downwards at each end to merge into the corner areas of the base 20, which are at the level of the side rails. This extra height increases the bending strength and stiffness of the truss. The solid inner and outer walls 32, 30 are raised to the level of the top web 40, and protect the truss against impacts.

The bottom webs 42, 44 are joined along their outer edges to the solid inner and outer walls 32, 30. This forms, in effect, a solid L-section member along the bottom corners of the rail 22, 24, which is a structure highly resistant to bending and buckling in the regions most subject to compressive stress. The weight and material of the rails 22, 24 is thus concentrated where it is needed.

The embodiment shown in the drawings is intended for use in conditions where the sort of bending moments shown in FIG. 4 are applied only to the front and rear rails 22, 24, and the side rails 26, 28 are lower than the front and rear rails. Depending on the intended use of a specific base 20, the trusses 40, 42, 44 could be formed in the front and rear rails, or in all four rails. If the trusses 40, 42, 44 are formed in all four rails, the corner regions may also be deepened so that they rise to the height of the top webs 40, rather than the longitudinal bars 60 being angled down to the corners.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention. For example, although the base has been shown with rectangular wells or sockets 48 at all four corners, some appliances have adjustable feet at two or all four corners. A base intended for use with such an appliance may be provided with sockets, such as those shown in above-mentioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0057342, or with other appropriate formations, at two or all four corners.

Also, depending on the location of the feet of the particular appliance, some or all of the sockets may be positioned away from the corners of the base, or along the front, back or sides.

The outer edges of any or all of the rails 22, 24, 26, 28 may be recessed downwards as described in above-mentioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0057342. In some cases, lowering of the outer edge may be required along only some edges, for example, it may not be required at the rear of the appliance. Thus, any combination of raised and lowered surfaces may be provided on the edges. Other variations are contemplated and will be understood by those in the art. 

1. A base for shipping or storing an article, the base comprising a frame, the frame comprising rails, at least one rail comprising two outer upright walls, with respect to a normal orientation of the base in use, at least two intermediate walls between the outer walls, webs joining the bottom of each outer wall to the bottom of the adjacent intermediate wall, and at least one web joining together the intermediate walls.
 2. A base according to claim 1, wherein the outer walls are solid.
 3. A base according to claim 1, wherein at least one intermediate wall is of truss construction.
 4. A base according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rail has exactly four walls, with the tops of the two intermediate walls being joined by a single horizontal web.
 5. A base according to claim 1, wherein the face of the base that is upwards in the normal orientation in use is provided with formations to engage, support, or retain an appliance or other article on the base.
 6. A base according to claim 5, wherein the upward face of the base is provided with sockets to receive feet of an appliance.
 7. A base according to claim 5, wherein the upward face of the base is provided with supports for lower edges of a frame or bodywork of an appliance.
 8. A combination of: a base for shipping or storing an article, the base comprising a frame, the frame comprising rails, at least one rail comprising two outer upright walls, with respect to a normal orientation of the base in use, at least two intermediate walls between the outer walls, webs joining the bottom of each outer wall to the bottom of the adjacent intermediate wall, and at least one web joining together the intermediate walls; and an article mounted on the base.
 9. A combination according to claim 8, wherein the article mounted on the base is a domestic appliance.
 10. A shipping base comprising a frame with at least one rail having longitudinal walls connected by webs alternately at the top and the bottom, wherein at least two bottom webs are solid and are joined along the length of the rail directly to solid walls.
 11. A shipping base according to claim 10, wherein the solid walls are solid from the said bottom webs over at least a major portion of the height of the rail.
 12. A shipping base according to claim 10, wherein the solid walls are at the sides of the rail.
 13. A shipping base according to claim 10, wherein each said bottom web has two side edges and is joined directly along one side edge to a solid wall and along the other side edge to a wall of truss construction.
 14. A shipping base according to claim 10, wherein the top face of the base is provided with formations to engage, support, or retain an appliance or other article on the base.
 15. A shipping base according to claim 14, wherein the top face of the base is provided with sockets to receive feet of an appliance.
 16. A shipping base according to claim 14, wherein the top face of the base is provided with supports for lower edges of a frame or bodywork of an appliance.
 17. A shipping base according to claim 10 that is generally rectangular and comprises two said rails forming opposite sides of the generally rectangular shape.
 18. A base comprising rails meeting at corners, wherein at least one rail comprises: a first solid side wall; a first solid bottom web joined to the first solid side wall along the bottom edge of the first solid side wall and a first side of the first solid bottom web; a first internal wall joined to the first solid bottom web along the bottom edge of the first internal wall and a second side of the first solid bottom web; a top web joined to the first internal wall along the top edge of the first internal wall and a first side of the top web; a second internal wall joined to the first top web along the top edge of the second internal wall and a second side of the top web; a second solid bottom web joined to the second internal wall along the bottom edge of the second internal wall and a first side of the second solid bottom web; and a second solid side wall joined to the second solid bottom web along the bottom edge of the second solid side wall and a second side of the second solid bottom web.
 19. A base according to claim 18, wherein the first internal wall is of lattice construction.
 20. A base according to claim 18, wherein the second internal wall is of lattice construction.
 21. A base according to claim 18, wherein the top web is of lattice construction. 